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NHRC seeks report from Kerala on alleged atrocities on tribals
New Delhi, Feb 25: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to Kerala government seeking a report within two weeks on alleged police atrocities on `adivasis` in the state.
New Delhi, Feb 25: National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC) has issued a notice to Kerala government seeking a
report within two weeks on alleged police atrocities on
'adivasis' in the state.
The notice was issued to state chief secretary and
director general of police following complaints that 16
adivasis had been killed in the confrontation with the police
at Muthanga on February 19 contrary to state government claim
that only two persons were killed.
The complaint, made by social activists including noted
Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande, alleged "brutal action by Kerala
police on the adivasis resistance movement going on in the
Muthunga forest region of Wayanand district of the state."
"The state machinery is using brutal force to contain the
year long struggle by the adivasis for their genuine demands
for land rights," the complaint alleged. It further said that
"the unforgivable and cynical delay in delivering the land
promised by the government of Kerala to these poor and most
needy people, had resulted in an unfortunate yet needlessly
brutal confrontation resulting in 16 deaths which included
children and women."
Praying for commission's intervention, the activists
claimed that apart from those killed in the police firing,
scores had been injured and many arrested. "Many adivasis were
still lying injured inside the forest without any medical
aid."
Bureau Report
Bureau Report